Method and product for selective conversion articles



F. N. MANLEY 1,997,467

METHOD AND PRODUCT FOR SELECTIVE CONVERSION ARTICLES April 9, 1935.

Filed Dec. 29, 1931 Patented Apr. 9, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD AND PRODUCT FOR SELECTIVE CONVERSION ARTICLES Application December 29, 1931, Serial No. 583,776

2 Claims.

The invention provides a novel chain or connected series of'elements for ultimate selective conversion into dental rolls, applicators, powder puffs, and such like single use articles.

The nature of the invention consists in forming from cotton slivers, or equivalent material, an elongated rod-like article, compressing and sizing, or otherwise fixating, the cross-sectional area at spaced intervals defined by intermediate or connecting portions that are free from size or other fixating coatings and are unconfined and fluffy, for the purpose and with the result that the rod-like shape, when severed into units, will produce inexpensive or throwaway articles, such as, for example, dental rolls, applicators and powder pulls;

' The preferred method and formative product will beclearlyunderstood from the following description. taker'tfin connection with the accompanying drawififlf, forming a part hereof, wherein Figure 1 is an elevational view 01' a stick or chain oi elements for selective conversion into dental rolls or inexpensive or single use powder pulls and applicators ior medicaments, as by severing the stick or chain at appropriate intervals.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing some of the units in severed relation.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic illustration oi suitable means for forming the stick or chain of elements.

According to the invention, slivers of cottonare formed into a cylindrical shape or rod 5 of appropriate cross-sectional area and characterized by relatively still and fixated sections separated by free and unconfined fluffy sections I. By dividing the stick or chain of elements into individual sections or units as by transverse lines of severance there results, selectively, such conversion products as the dental rolls and applicators I and 9 and the powder puiis l0.

The invention may be practiced by shaping a mass of cotton slivers to rod form, sizing or otherwise fixatingand coating the shape at predetermined spaced intervals, and then compressing or 10 molding the, same under conditions for leaving the uncoated portions tree and unconfined or in their original fluflfy state, as by the action of a die ll. When the shape is thoroughly dry and otherwise finished, it may be selectively divided 16 in any conventional way.

What is claimed asnew, is:-

1. The method herein described which consists in arranging a mass of cotton slivers in elongated iorm, placing the same in a mold, com- 20 pressing intermediate portions to rod-dike form and leaving the other portions flufi'y, and then sizing the said intermediate portions.

2. As an article of manufacture, an elongated mass of soft absorbent fibrous material, the structure being characterized by compressed and sized portions and unsized and fiufl'y portions in alternate order of arrangement, the structure having the further characteristic that it optionally provides for conversion into powder pulls or of medicament applicators, either or both. according to the point of severance.

FRANK NASON MARLEY. 

